Nothing like trying to dillute votes for Martinelli. 

The President of the Republic, Laurentino Cortizo visited the Grupo Editorial El Siglo & La Estrella (GESE), this Wednesday as a guest of the renewed editorial board that includes professionals from different disciplines who participate ad honorem, within the framework of the 174 years from “The Dean”. During the meeting, different topics of national interest were discussed.

Constitutional reforms continue to be a pending issue. Presidential candidates are betting on change, but when they come to power they realize that it is a much more complex issue than anticipated.

For the next elections, a group of citizens from civil society proposes including a fifth ballot with the question of whether or not a reform of this nature is approved.

Cortizo did not dislike the idea, but stressed that it requires a “fine” analysis to avoid mixing it with the electoral process. “It would be good if the magistrates of the Electoral Tribunal made a good analysis of that. What would not be good is if it could contaminate the political process. It is a proposal that must be analyzed ”, he reflected.

Social Security Fund

One year and months after finishing his term and with one of the most sensitive issues yet to be resolved, the president is planted on the idea of ​​not implementing parametric measures as a vehicle to financially refloat the Disability, Old Age and Death (IVM) program of the CSS. He reaffirmed it now, as in 2020 when he announced that he would convene the national dialogue table under the warning that he would not promote measures of this nature. The reason? “I don’t want to put my hand in people’s pockets,” said the president.

Cortizo seems to have other formulas for injecting fresh resources into the CSS. “In the Central Government we are approving in the National Assembly a support resource, which is 50% of the minimum income of Minera Panama”, with which it plans to make some type of financial transaction once the contract signed between the government and mining becomes a law of the Republic.

This formality, according to Cortizo, will provide a little more maneuvering to allocate resources to a fund that seems insatiable, although he still did not want to advance amounts or formalities of the transaction.

However, his approach to parametric measures also has some exceptions. Cortizo hinted that if he was born from the CSS board of directors, it would be a different matter. “The functions of the board of directors are broad, but I am not going to recommend parametrics,” he said.

The workers’ sector proposed merging the solidarity system with the individual, while the employers proposed parametric measures aimed at a pillar pension system.

However, the need for organized workers – and he stressed this sector as a whole – to come to an agreement with the employers, is imperative to overcome the issue.

Regarding the trade promotion treaty (TPC) with the United States, Cortizo intends to promote a different strategy in which he has placed his hopes. Sensitize the members of the US Senate, who ultimately are the ones who subsequently approve or reject possible revisions to the treaty, on four sensitive points: rice, dairy, pork and chicken, which can put the sector in check.

He is prepared to address the issue anytime and anywhere, even in the White House when necessary. “I’m ready to go any day,” she said. “I have it on my agenda,” he said immediately.

Two weeks ago, Cortizo received Senators John Cornyn, Jeanne Shaheen, Mike Lee, Deb Fischer, Mike Crapo and Ted Budd at the Palacio de las Garzas, as well as the political adviser Tanya Ward, accompanied by the ambassador of that country in Panama, Mari Carmen. aponte. In that appointment he took the opportunity to put on the table the consequences of not examining the points in question.

During the conversation he learned that in the United States they were in the process of reviewing the agricultural bill (Farm Bill) that contemplates subsidies to the sector every five years.

He does not miss the stage to talk about it. She had tried it formally, that is, through protocol channels. Like in March, when he met with the undersecretary of Agriculture of that country, Alexis Taylor, and put the issue on the agenda. Later, seeing that it was not progressing as he expected, he opted to sow concern among the senators about the impact of the agricultural issue and the social effects linked to the climate crisis.

The argument refers to the effort made by Panama to be qualified as one of the three countries in the world with negative carbon, when the goal to reach carbon neutrality is in 2030, in addition to the fact that the most developed countries and members of the G20 are responsible for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions.

With the above, what he wants is for the senators to analyze the consequences that tariff reduction would have to zero in 2025, without Panama having the ability to compete with US products in a trade balance that, for now, favors the north.

A scenario that would put the Panamanian agricultural sector at a disadvantage, and food security at risk, considering the juicy economic subsidies that the US government injects into the sector.

The effects of climate change, added to a lack of protection of the agricultural sector in Panama are not a good combination, in Cortizo’s opinion.

Torrijos candidacy

When the subject of politics came up, the president preferred to distance himself from former president Martín Torrijos (2004-2009), who intends to govern again but this time with the political banner of the Popular Party.

“It is a very personal decision of his, he meets the requirements demanded by the Constitution, he is over 18 years of age. He has every right to participate, obviously I am PRD and I am going to vote for the PRD candidate, ”Cortizo exclaimed.

He did not want to enter into qualifications, rather he was sparing about the decision adopted by the person he served as Minister of Agricultural Development in the first years of his government, and later resigned due to discrepancies when the TPC was negotiated.

He trusts that his party will be able to repeat in the next elections. A challenge that involves convincing the electorate about the work done so far and defeating the trend of alternating power that has prevailed since the modern era of democracy (1989).

The next elections will be different for the ruling party. For the first time, Cortizo said, the candidate – in a clear allusion to José Gabriel Carrizo, who aspires to become the representative of the collective – is not a member of the National Executive Committee (CEN), as was the case in the past.

“My answer is that this rule is going to be broken at some point, and it just so happens that the current president who is a member of the PRD is one more member. For the first time this happens. You have to keep doing the work, ”he answers confidently.

As for the digital solidarity voucher, the immediate economic aid that benefits 156,000 people – unlike the fuel subsidy that ends at the end of May – Cortizo has not yet determined when it will end “it is possible that we can extend a few months,” he settled.

The editorial board of ‘La Decana’ is renewed

The Editorial Group El Siglo y La Estrella renews the editorial board, an entity of notable members of society who share – with the members of the board of directors, directors, editors and a guest of honor – issues of public interest. Yesterday, in the first meeting of this year and within the framework of the 174 years of ‘La Decana’, the President of the Republic Laurentino Cortizo led the meeting.

Dorita de Reyna, Paulina Franceschi, Gabriel Diez, Jaime Raúl Molina, Rogelio Novey, Anette Cárdenas, Sheyla Castillos de Arias, Giovanna Napolitano, Eynar Samudio, Tomás Guardia and Elías Manopla are the professionals from different branches who participate ad honorem .